S3 



PRACTICAL 

WIRE ROPE 

INFORMATION 

And 

Useful Information 

on the Drag-Line 
Cabieway Excavators 

H. B. SAUERMAN 



Price 20 cents 



PRACTICAL 

WIRE ROPE 

INFORMATION 

And 

Useful Information 

on the Drag-Line 
Cableway Excavators 

H. B. SAUERMAN 



Price 20 cents 



<^^ 






Copyright 1910 

BY 

H. B. Sauerman 



r ! (0 



)CI.A4;U7!i3 






im -1 1916 



CONTENTS 

Page 

t^ The Conslructioii and tlic Properties of Wire Rope ~ 

Table of Comparative Strenofh of Wire Ropes S 

The Al)tisc and L'se of Wire I'iojie 13 

Careless Handling 13 

How to Uneoil A\"irc Rope 14 

Poor Installations 15 

Abrasion i() 

Excessive and Short liending 17 

Careless ()])eration 17 

Poor Lubrication 18 

Main Points to P>e Considered ig 

Wire Rope Fittings 21 

Thimble and Clips 22 

Socketing Wire Rope 23 

The Long Splice 25 

Wire Rope Connections 27 

Tackle Pdocks 27 

A Home-Made Rope Lul)ricant 29 

The Dragline Cableway I{xca\'ator 30 

Masts and Towers 3 

Guy Cables 33 

Anchors t,^ 

Track Cal)le 33 

llridle Cable 35 

Bridle Frame 35 

Shifting- the Bridle Frame 35 

The Load and Tension Cables 36 

Tension and (kiide Blocks 36 

Cable Fastenings 36 

Bucket, Carrier and Dumping Device 36 

Hoists 38 

Adaptability 38 

Uses 40 

— 3— 



:> 



FOREWORD 

H'hc universal use of wire rope for hoisting, conveying and 
also carrying material over large spans proves conclusively that 
wire rope renders a very important service in the engineering field. 

The economic use and service of wire rope depends largely 
upon the construction, the material composing the rope, the in- 
stallation and the care it receives both before and after it has been 
put into service. Many wire ropes have been ruined before they 
were ever installed, and this was due entirely to the lack of knowl- 
edge of the properties of wire rope. If selected, installed and used 
with reasonable care, wire rope becomes one of the most economic 
servants in the engineering field. 

This book has been prepared to assist the user of wire rope 
in getting the best results and the most economic service with the 
use of wire rope and wire rope appliances. In preparing this book 
the aim has been to set forth the practical knowledge and ex- 
perience obtained in the field and on the work. Technical calcula- 
tions have been omitted. 

The information on the Dragline Cableway Excavator is in- 
tended for all who are interested in the economical handling of 
material. 

HENRY B. SAUERMAN, 
Member American Society of Civil Engineers, 
Member Western Society of Engineers. 



Copyright 1916 

by 

H. B. SAUERMAN 



THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE PROPERTIES OF 

WIRE ROPE. 

Wire Rope is made of wires, either twisted together or laid 
parallel to each other. The first mentioned is in general use for 
lioisting, conveying and power-transmission; the other is used only 
on the large suspension bridges. 

Ropes differ in respect to their construction as follows: (i) 
their cross-section being flat or round; (2) the number and shape 
of the strands; (3) the number, size and shape of the wires in the 
strand; (4) the lay of the wires with respect to the lay of the 
strand. 

Flat wire ropes consist of a number of wire strands which 
have been laid side by side and sewed together with annealed wire. 

Round wire ropes are made up of a number of wire strands 
twisted around a core of hemp or around a wire strand. 

The standard wire rope is made of six wire strands laid up 
around a hemp core. 

The wire strands are laid around the core either to the right 
or to the left and the rope is thereby designated as right lay or 
left lay. The twist or lay of strand may be long or short. The 
shorter twist forms the more flexible rope ; the longer twist the 
more rigid rope. 

When the strands and wires composing same are twisted or 
laid up in the same direction, the rope is known as "Lang" lay. 

The Tiller Rope is made up of wire ropes which in turn are 
made up of wire strands. These wire ropes are laid around a 
hemp core, resulting in a very flexible rope. 

The wire strands are made of wire twisted together. The 
number of wires commonly used are four, seven, twelve, nineteen 
and thirty-seven, all depending upon the nature and condition of 
the work for which it is intended. 

The wires are made from the following materials: 

(i) Iron; (2) Crucible Cast Steel; (3) Extra Strong Crucible 
Cast Steel; (4) Plow Steel; (5) Improved Plow Steel. 

The ultimate strength of these dififerent wires is as follows: 
Iron, 75,000 to 100,000 lbs. per sq. in. 

Crucible Cast Steel, 1 50,000 to 200,000 lbs. per sq. in. 

Extra Strong Crucible Cast Steel, 180,000 to 220,000 lbs. per sq. in. 
Plow Steel, 200,000 to 260,000 lbs. per sq. in. 

Improved Plow Steel, 220,000 to 280,000 lbs. per sq. in. 



The twisting of tlffe wire and strands in laying up the wire 
ropes reduces the strength of the individual wires from lo to 15 
per cent. 

The elastic limit of iron wires is about 75 to 80 per cent of 
the ultimate strength of the wire. 

The elastic limit of steel wires is about 65 to 70 ])er cent of 
the ultimate strength of the wire. 

Crucible Cast Steel Rope has about twice the strength of 
iron rope. 

Extra Strong Crucible Cast Steel Rope is about 15 per cent 
stronger than the Crucible Cast Steel Rope. 

Plow Steel Rope is about 25 per cent stronger than the Cruci- 
ble Steel Rope. 

Improved Plow Steel Rope is about to per cent stronger than 
the ordinary Plow Steel Rope. 

Table of Comparative Strength of Steel Wire Rope. 

Ultimate Strength in Tons (2000 Lbs.) of Wire Rope 













DIAMETER 










DESCRIPTION 


V 


4' 


r 


r 


;- 


•• 


la 


U' 


IS' 


ir 


11' 


n- 


.!«' 


2' 


2J' 


2i' 


23- 


6/7 Cast Steel 


4 6 


7 7 


13 


IS 6 


?4 


31 


37 


46 


53 


63 
















6/7 X Strong C. Steel.... 


5 25 


8.85 


14,5 


21.0 


28 


35 


43 


54 


63 


73 
















6/7 Plow Steel 


S 9 


in n 


16 n 


23 n 


31 


38 


47 


60 


72 


82 
















6/7 Improved Plow Steel. 


6.5 


11.0 


17.5 


25.0 


33 


42 


52 


67 


79 


90 
















6/19 Cast Steel 


4.8 


8.4 


12,5 


17.5 


23 


30 


38 


47 


56 


64 


72 


85 


96 


106 


133 


170 


211 


6/19 X Strong Cast Steel. 


5.3 


9,2 


14,0 


20.2 


26 


34 


43 


53 


64 


73 


83 


99 


112 


123 


160 


200 


243 


6/19 Plow Steel 


5.75 


10.0 


15.5 


23,0 


29 


38 


47 


58 


72 


82 


94 


112 


127 


140 


186 


229 


275 


6/19 Improved Plow Steel 


6.75 


12.1 


19.0 


26,3 


35 


45 


56 


69 


84 


98 


110 


133 


150 


166 


210 


263 


315 



The hemp center or core of a wire rope performs the follow- 
ing service: 

First : The hemp core forms a soft cushion for the strands of 
the rope to bed themselves into and work upon. 

Second: The hemp being a much softer material than the 
metal of which the strands are composed, it protects the wires of 
the diiferent strands against internal wear. 

Third: The hemp core being elastic and also compressible, it 
acts as a cushion to absorb more or less of the strain when a load 
is suddenly applied. 

Fourth: The hemp core is lubricated and therefore preserves 
itself as well as the wires of the rope internally from corrosion, and 
further affords lubrication for the rope. If the wire strand is used 
for core it will increase the strength of the rope from 7 to 10 per 



cent. l)Ut it will wear frcnn the friction between it and the other 
strands and this wear will l)e as rapid as the wear on the outside of 
rope. This does not appl}- to ropes that are used for guys or other 
stationary work. 

The different constructions of ropes are usually specified as 
follows : 

6 strands 7 wires each. si)ecifled as "haulage rope." 

6 strands 19 wires each, specified as "hoisting rope" (scale 

type). 

6 strands 19 wires each, s])eciried as "hoisting rope." 
6 strands Ti,"/ wires each, specified as "special flexible rope." 
8 strands 19 wires each, specified as "extra flexible rope." 
6 strands 12 wires each, specified as ''running rope." 
6 ropes, 6 strands 7 wires each, specified as "tiller or hand 
rope." 

In specifying a rope construction the practice is to specify the 
number of strands first and the number of wires in each strand 
last: thus, 6 strands 19 wires is usually specified as 6x19. 

The 6x7 haulage rope is used for haulage, power transmission, 
oil well lines, and for work where surface wear is the main consider- 
ation. It is also used for guys and ship rigging. 

The 6x19 hoisting rope is used for general hoisting work, such 
as elevator work, derrick work, mine hoists, inclined planes and 
haulage lines where the abrasion is not severe and where flexibility 
is the main consideration. 

The 6x19 hoisting rope scale type, in which the 19 wires are 
placed 9 around i) around i and in which the middle coils of strand 
wires are of smaller diameter than the others is used for all work 
where a rope is required of intermediate flexibility or adaptability 
to withstand abrasion, between the standard ropes of 7 wire and 19 
wire strands. 

The 6x37 special flexible rope composed of 6 strands of t,"/ 
wares each (18 around 12 around 6 around i wire) is used where 
great strength is desired in combination with a high degree of fiex- 
ibilit}^ It is used in logging operations and also for hawsers, in 
which case the wires are galvanized. 

The 8x19 extra flexible rope composed of 8 strands of 19 
wires each (12 around 6 around i) is produced to meet the recjuire- 
ments wdiere greater flexibility is needed than is possessed by the 
standard 6x19 rope. As the hemp core of this rope is larger than 
the core of a 6 strand rope, this rope is not as strong as the 6x19 
standard hoisting rope or the '^x37 special flexible rope. Due to the 
large core, it will also flatten out under heavy pressure. Its sur- 
face, however, is more closely a cylindrical shape, resulting in a 
better distribution of wear. It is used for derrick work and where 



—9— 



rope has to run aroufld small sheaves with comparatively light 
loads. It is also used almost exclusively for bull wheels on derricks 
and steam shovels. 

The 6x12 running rope, also called hawser or flexible running 
rope, consists of 6 strands of 12 galvanized wires each encircling a 
fibre cord. It is used mostly for hawsers and for running ropes in 
the rigging of ships. These ropes are also made with 6 strands of 
24 galvanized wires each; such ropes are nearly as pliable as manila 
ropes of equal strength. 

The tiller rope consists of 6 small 7 wire ropes laid around a 
hemp core. It is used extensively for operating tillers, as hand 
ropes for operating elevators and for work where extreme flexibil- 
ity is necessary. 

The non-spinning hoisting rope, consisting of 18 strands of 7 
wires each, 12 of which are laid in the reverse direction around 6, 
receives its name from the fact that it has little or no tendency to 
twist or turn in operation. The size of wires is the same as for 
the standard hoisting rope for a given diameter. It has 126 wires 
where the standard hoisting rope has only 114. This rope cannot 
be spliced. 

Lang-lay ropes are used to good advantage for all kinds of 
haulage work, especially in the endless rope systems where grips 
are used. They are also used in mine shafts or hoists where the 
cages run in guides. The principal objection to Lang-lay rope is 
its tendencv to untwist, and it should, therefore, not be used where 
loads are lifted in free suspension. It is very hard to splice to rope 
of the ordinary lay. 

The principal advantages of the Lang-lay rope are the in- 
creased distribution of surface wear and greater pliability. 

The flattened-strand wire ropes have been produced for work 
where a larger and smoother wearing surface is necessary than can 
be obtained with the round strand ropes. In these ropes the strands 
have an elliptical or triangular cross section. This cross-section is 
produced by an elliptical or triangular metal center in each strand. 
The rope has either a hemp core or a wire core. The advantage 
claimecl for these ropes, in addition to the increased wearing sur- 
face, is flexibility with a decreased tendency to spin or kink. 

Armored or steel clad hoisting rope is sometimes used where 
the ordinary hoisting ropes wear out quickly. This type of rope 
has each strand served with flat steel strips. This flat covering 
gives considerable additional wearing surface. The steel covering 
does not add anything to the strength of the rope. 

Flat ropes are usually made up of a number of loosely twisted 
four-strand ropes without hemp cores placed side by side. The 
strands are sewed together with annealed wire. There are several 
advantages in using flat ropes, namely, there is no tendency to 

—10— 



6 Strands, 7 Wires (1 Hemp Core) 
TRANSMISSION HAULAGE OR STANDING ROPE 




6 Strands, 19 Wires (1 Hemp Core) 
STANDARD HOISTING ROPE 




6 Strands, 37 Wires (1 Hemp Core) 
SPECIAL FLEXIBLE HOISTING ROPE 




8 Strands, 19 Wires (1 Hemp Core) 
EXTRA FLEXIBLE HOISTING ROPE 




6 Strands, 12 Wires (7 Hemp Cores) 
RUNNING ROPE 




6 Strands, 42 Wires Each (7 Hemp Cores) 
TILLER OR HAND HOPE 

PLATE No. 1 



— n— 



18 Strands, 7 Wires (1 Hemp Core) 
NON-SPINNING ROPE 




Type A 
5 Strands, 28 Wires to the Strand (1 Hemp Core) 




Type B 
6 Strands, 25 Wires to the Strand (1 Hemp Core) 




STEEL CLAD HOISTING ROPE 




SMOOTH COIL TRACK CABLE 




LOCKED WIRE TRACK CABLE 

PLATE No. lA 

—12— 



twist; as the rv])v winds on drum llu- conical drum ettect can thus 
he in-oduced: and in Ik listing the rope is always in the same vertical 
plane. 

Locked-wire ropes have a smooth cylindrical surface, the outer 
wires of which are made of such shape that each wire interlocks 
witli the other and the inner wires are disposed in concentric layers 
around a wire core. Owing to its large and smooth wearing sur- 
face it is used extensively for track cahles in aerial tramway work 
and for cableways where a stationary track cable is used. 

Plate No. I and Plate No. i-A illustrate the different construc- 
tions of ropes. It is very apparent from these illustrations and 
from the foregoing description that not one type of rope is suited 
to give good results and service in all kinds of work 

The rope should be carefully selected which experience has 
found to be the best suited rope for the work under consideration. 
In other words, "Get the Right Rope for Your Work," and this 
applies both to the construction and the material composing the 
rope. This is the first step towards a successful and economic rope 
installation. The lowest priced rope does not always prove to be 
the cheapest, nor does the highest priced rope under all circum- 
stances give the greatest service per dollar of cost. Requisitions 
for wire rope should be accompanied by full information as to the 
conditions and requirements of the work for which the rope is 
intended to be used. Information as to the weight of loads, in- 
clination of slopes, diameters of sheaves and drums, angles of 
bends, etc.; is very essential in determining the kind and grade of 
wire rope best suited for the work. 

THE ABUSE AND USE OF WIRE ROPE. 

We mention "abuse" before "use" in our heading because wire 
rope is ofttimes abused before it is used. 

Wire rope can easily be abused. The following are some of 
the most common abuses to which wire ropes are subjected: 

1. Careless handling. 

2. Poor installation. 

3. Abrasion. 

4. Excessive or short bending. 

5. Careless operation. 

6. Poor lubrication. 

Careless Handling. 

One of the most common abuses of wire rope is Careless 
Handling. Large wire rope reels are sometimes dropped from cars, 
regardless of the obstructions which may lie in the way of the 

—13— 



reel. Many a wire ropi has thus been mined by dropping same on 
a rock with sharp edges or other forms of obstruction. The proper 
way to unload a reel or heavy coil of rope is to bring several heavy 
planks or timbers on an incline up to the side of the car and then 
lower the reel or coil to the ground by slowly rolling or sliding 
same down the inclined timbers. 

Wire rope is sometimes ruined by dropping the reel or coil 
into water containing acid or other destructive agencies. Rope 
exposed to the elements for any considerable length of time before 
being put into service will have a tendency to rust. If exposed to 
the sun for a long time the core will have a tendency to dry out, 
thus reducing the wearing cjuality of the rope. Placing rope under 
shelter before putting" same into service cannot be too strongly 
recommended. 



HOW T-O UNCOIU NA/IRE. ROPt 




FiO. I 



Fi«3. 2 




Fi<3.3 



FIQ.-4- 



flGUKES I, 2 Also 3 SHOW THC. KJOHT WAV Or UNCOII.INS 
\^/IRC: ROT»C 

FIGURED- SMO\*/6 TME. VVRONQ \A/AY. -THIS IS SURE. TO BRINQ 
KINKS ir* ROF»c 



Kinking the wire rope by careless uncoiling is another very 
common abuse. 

Figure i shows the proper method of unreeling wire rope from 
a reel with the axis of reel in a horizontal position. Figure 2 shows 
the proper method of imreeling wire rope with the axis of reel in a 
vertical position. 

Figure 3 shows the proper method of uncoiling a wire rope 
from a coil. The coil should always be held in a vertical position 
as shown in cut and rolled along ground. 

—14 — 



Figure 4 shows the improper method nf uncuiHng wire rope. 
If tliis inclhixl is followed il is sure to produce kinks. 

Figure 5 shows tlie start of a kink. This is simply produced 
by a loop in the rope. These loops should be carefully guarded 
against and should be thrown out before any pull is brought on 
rope. 

Figure (> shows the loop pulled tighter, but even at this point 
the damage can be avoided by throwing out the loop. Figure 7 
shows the "damage" done. This shows the strands twisted out of 
place with some of the wires partly twisted. Figure 8 shows the 
kink pulled tight with the wires badly twisted. 

Figure 9 shows the rope after an attempt was made to 
straight it out, with the result of breaking wires and leaving the 
strands twisted out of place. 






Fie s 



"HE START 
OF" KITSK 



Fie <b 

THE OANSER POINT. 
IF L.OOf» IS THROWN 
OUT MOW, THE KIMK 
CTAN BC AtVOIDCD 



Fl© 7 

THt DAMAGE 00^4^ 
l_OOSE KINK 




rie 8 



riG 3 
THE RUITSED CABUE 



"The KITXK 1»U>->-ED TISHT 



Kinking of wire rope can easily be avoided by following the 
proper methods as outlined in Figures i, 2 and 3. 

Kinks can never be straightened by pulling on the rope. 

Wire rope is also ofttimes abused by improper hitches, drag- 
ging same over sharp obstructions or by making sharp bends when 
putting the rope in place. A little judgment and care will avoid 
these abuses and will be amply repaid by the extra service obtained 
from the rope. 

Poor Installations. 

The improper selection of wire rope applied to both the con- 
struction and material composing same is the first step toward a 
poor installation. The author has seen an installation where a five- 
eighths-inch rope made up of six strands and thirty-seven wires to 
each strand was used. This rope was used on a dragline cableway 

—15— 



excavator where abrasion of sand and gravel was the chief consid- 
eration. The reader can readily imagine how long the fine wires in 
the rope lasted and what better service could have been obtained 
with the standard 6xio hoisting rope wdiich has the coarser wires. 
Other installations have been made where the grade of steel of the 
wire rope was entirely unsnited for the work and the conditions. 

The author desires to impress on the reader's mind that the 
cheapest rope for his work is the rope that gives him the greatest 
service per dollar of cost, and that this can only be obtained by 
getting the right constructed rope, made of the proper grade of 
steel for the work under consideration. To get the right rope it is 
well to consult a competent wire rope engineer. 

Installations where sheaves are poorly aligned so as to cause 
chafing and abrasion, where sheaves are used of very small diam- 
eter, where the wire rope is made to take numerous or reverse 
bends, where loads are suddenly applied, where the rope is allowed 
to sag and where rope is allowed to whip, the results that can be 
obtained with the wire rope imder such conditions is very question- 
able. All these faults can usually be avoided by the designer of the 
installation, if he has had sufficient experience in wire rope engi- 
neering. 

Abrasion. 

Abrasion is one of the worst enemies of good wire rope service. 
Many wire ropes have been condemned as "rotten" when the fault 
was entirely due to abrasion. Some work, such as dragline cable- 
way excavator work, requires that the cables must come in contact 
with the material, such as sand and gravel. The operator who 
operates such equipment can, however, avoid considerable abrasion 
by using some care in bringing" the ropes clear of the material 
whenever the conditions allow. 




Wire Rope Showing Effect of Abrasion 

Abrasion is further caused by poor alignment of sheaves and 
hoist drums, by sheaves with broken flanges, b}'^ sheaves with eccen- 
tric holes or bearings, by sheaves which refuse to turn or by ob- 
structions in the path of the rope. There is one way to avoid 
abrasion and that is careful inspection and prompt removal of the 
cause of the abrasion after the same has been located. 

—10— 



Excessive and Short Bending. 

Excessive and undue bending causes the ruin uf many wire 
ropes. The destructive effect of this abuse has not been sufficiently 
understood, and owing to this fact bending has not received the 
proper attention. In practice it is ofttimes found that large diam- 
eter sheaves are entirely out of the question. The question of 




Wire Rope Showing Wires Broken from Undue Bending 

flexibility will then become one of the most important features in 
the selection of the proper rope for the work in question. 

Theoretically the curvature should be such that the bending 
stress resulting therefrom added to the load stress will not produce 
a tension in the wires exceeding" the elastic limit. 




Wire Rope Showing Good Wear 



Short bends are also very destructive to wire rope. One of the 
most common places to find short bends is at the point of attach- 
ment. The use of thimbles is strongly recommended. The thimble, 
if properly used, does away with considerable of the short bending, 




MOTE. aXRETCH l»* 
l.OOF>. MOT Al-U OT. 
THC STRANOSQtT 
TMCIR SHARE. 0»v. 
U.OAD. 



n<5 lO 




NOTK. aE.NO >N 
l_0«(> WMtNTHE 

oAo >s orr 




AVOIDS BOTH 
STUCTCH 8f 
BE. NO. 



F-|«. U 



rici.»2 



-17— 



it also helps to distribute the load in the ditTerent strands. Figure 
10 and II show the bending etTect where the thimble is omitted. 
Figure 12 shows a thimble in place and how this eliminates the 



bending effect. 



Careless Operation. 



Wire rope manufacturers sometimes find after furnishing a 
certain kind and grade of rope which gave excellent service for 
years, that this same kind and grade of rope does not come up to its 
past good record. Investigation shows that the installation has not 
been changed in the least, but further investigation reveals the fact 
that a new operator is now operating the plant. He is careless, he 
throws his levers regardless of the vibration and shock caused b)^ 
throwing his drums in operation. Constant shock and vibration is 
bound to ruin the best rope. Wire rope does not rec^uire "nvirsing," 
but it does require the usual care that is generally given the equip- 
ment operated in connection with wire rope. The author has oft- 
times observed plants where the hoist, sheaves and bearings re- 
ceived excellent care and where the wire rope was allowed to drag 
over logs and through mud and water. A few guide rollers would 
have increased the rope service manifold. 

In operating the dragline cablewaiy excavator, some operators, 
by careless operation, produce a whip' in the track cable. This 
whip produces the eft'ect shown in dotted lines in Figure 13. This 
careless operation, if continued, is bound to crystallize and break 
the wire. 



BV WHIPPING OR DROPPING CA^UC 
SUOOtlMUY IT \A/IL.l_ -PAKE THtPOSITION 

SHo^^/^4 iin dotted uiMta.ir this is 

C.ONTINUAI-L'V DOME.BV CARtUtaS 

OF>E.RAT«ON -rHC. WIRC.a» N^lUU 

CRVSTAUIZE AND BREI^K. 




^ >^PA ^jif mM^^^ vvmt^^^^-^fW^^ 



* I > .»jp ^ M ," I jj > ' j 9 jmj ^ 



H.B.S- 



Poor Lubrication. 

Poor lubrication or entire lack of lubrication has in many cases 
been responsible for poor rope service. A proper lubricant will not 
only lubricate the wire and strands, but will also protect the rope 

—18— 



against corrosion. Some lubricants will lubricate the outside wires 
but will not penetrate to the inside wires. Such lubricants should 
be avoided, as they are worse than worthless. 

Main Points to Be Considered. 

Briefly stated, the main points that should receive careful con- 
sideration in the use of wire rope are as follows : 

1. Select the right grade and the right construction of wire 
rope for your particular work. If in doubt consult a wire rope 
expert. 

2. Use care and judgment when unloading heavy coils and 
reels so as not to injure the rope. 

3. Do not let wire rope coils or reels lie in water. 

4. Do not expose wire rope to the direct rays of the sun for 
a long time before using. 

5. Do not expose wire rope to the elements for any length of 
time before using. 

6. Place wire rope coils or reels under shelter. 

7. In uncoiling wire rope avoid kinks. Kinks are bound to 
occur and ruin a rope if an attempt is made to pull out the loop by 
exerting tension on rope. 

8. Avoid abrasion. This can only be avoided by careful and 
frequent inspection. 

9. Use as large diameter drums and sheaves as the conditions 
will permit. This will avoid excessive bending. 

10. Avoid reverse and short bends wherever possible. 

11. Use thimbles in connection with attachments wherever 
possible. 

12. Do not run wire rope over sheaves having broken flanges. 

13. Do not run wire rope over sheaves having eccentric bear- 
ings or where the bore of sheave has been worn eccentric. Con- 
stant vibration due to eccentricity of bore or bearing is bound to 
crystallize the rope. 

14. Align the sheaves properly so as to avoid unnecessary 
chafing and abrasion. 

15. Align the hoist drums with lead sheaves so that the rope 
will wind properly on drum. 

16. Avoid careless operation. 

17. Avoid unnecessary whipping and dropping of the rope. 

18. Thoroughly lubricate the wire rope with a lubricant 
which will not only penetrate to the hemp center, but will also thor- 
oughly cover the inside wires of the strands. 

—19— 



Ho\^ to Gauge Wire Rope. 

Figure 14 shows the correct diameter of a rope. It is that of 
an enclosing circle, as shown in dotted lines touching the strands. 
Figure 15 shows the correct gauge of a rope, and Figure 16 




RlG. I4-. 
THE CORRtCT 0»AMi;"rEI? 
OF A WIREROPC IS THAT OF 
ACllKCl_C. WHICH CHCUOSES 
ANO OUST TOuCME.a Tnt 

OUT Side or strawsss 




'^'^^wv«' 



Fl<3. 15 



Via 



[••»•-• 




^^_ 


• ••>•• 
•'•' a'*! 


8 

•• 




1 


■ 


1 


a 



Ravi, 
Fie. ifc 



HOW TO GAUG&WlREl F^0F»E: 



shows the wrong or small gauge of rope. Care should be taken in 
gauging the correct diameter of rope, not only when ordering a 
new rope but also when ordering new sheaves. 

Plate No. 2 shows the ditTerent wire rope fittings usually em- 
ployed in making attachments. The type of attachment is usually 
determined by the specific requirements and conditions. 

The Clip Attachment. 

On plate No. '3 the pr()])er method of making an attachment 
with clips and thimble is shown. The first step is to place the 
thimble from 30 inches to 40 inches from the end of rope and then 
wire the thimble to the rope. The rope is then brought around the 
thimble by bringing the short end of rope against body and draw- 
ing same together at the thimble with a vice or clamp. The clips 
are then attached as shown in Figure 3 with the first clip at thimble 
placed with the jaw on the long part or standing part of rope. 

The second clip is placed as shown with the jaw on the short 
or lapping end of rope, and the third clip is placed the same as the 
first. By staggering the clips as shown, tests and actual practice 
have shown that the greatest holding power is obtained. By tap- 
ping the clip lightly with a hammer after it has been drawn tight, 
it will ofttimes be fovmd that several turns can be taken on the 
nuts. 



—20— 




TURN-BUCKUE. 



Cl_OSE.D OR l_OOP SOCKET 





OREIN SOCKEZ-T 



S-rtF" SOCKCT- 




^ ^^S 



'^ 




l_OOF> SXIRRUP SOCKET <)PCrH ST\RRUF> SOCKET 



^ 





THirvlBUC. AND HOOV<v 



hy^^^^^^^^^^i^^^. 



SOCKE.T AND HOOK 




Open socket- ano hook 
NA/IREl ROPE FITTINQS 



RLATE NO.^. HB.s. 



—21- 







^ 



PiO. I 

TMEl GCCNERAL. RRACT-ICEl IIN f»l-AC«NG A, "THlMBl-E: IN THE. 

i_oof=> OF A \a/ire: rope, and A-r-r/\CH\r^G ci-»PS »s dome 

BV F=l_ACirMG -THE -THIMBUt ABOUT 30ns»CHtS p-ROM ElfMCS 

or" ROF'e: aisd wiring t-himbue: to f?oF»E:.. 




-THE.ROF'EIS BROUGHT AKOUrSD THIMBUC BVBRIMeiMS 
THE END OrROPt AGAiriST BODV ANDORANVING SAMC 
TOOtT-HER With A Cl_/SMR 




F-»e.3 

THE F>ROPE.R ARRANCEMEMT Ol^-THE CI_1F»S >S,»rv1F»0^- 
T/MNT. TO GCT TMC mAXIMUm HOl-OINS RONVCR CUlPS 
SHOUI_D BE. F'L.ACCD- AS SMQW/N AfcOVt.^T UtAST 
THRCE CUlPS SHOULD BE USE-D. 

THIP^BL-EI AND CURS 



F'uATE: NO.3. 



HO S. 



-23— 



Socketing Wire Rope. 

The Hist step ill attacliiny" a socket to a wire rope is that of 
placing the rope through the socket bowl and then serving the rope 
with annealed wire bands. One of these bands should be placed 
at a distance from end of rope etjual to the length of bowl of socket, 
and a second band about one inch from lower end of socket, and a 
third band is placed about one inch below this second band. These 
bands keep the lay of the rope from opening. Figure i, Plate No. 4, 
shows the rope in bowl of socket with two of the bands. 

The second step is to open the rope by unlaying the strands 
and then cutting out the hemp core. Figure 2 shows the wire rope 
opened up to first band. 

The third step is to open up the wire rope strands and bend 
out the wires as shown in Figure 3. After opening the wires the 
grease must be removed. This is readily accomplished by swab- 
bing the loose wires in gasoline. The wires are then dipped in a 
solution of muriatic acid. This acid bath removes any grease which 
the gasoline failed to remove and permits the zinc to adhere 
strongly to the individual wires. 

The rope is then pulled down into the socket and the loose 
wires are separated wherever there is a tendency for them to stick 
together so as to permit the zinc to flow freely around the wires. 
Figure 4 shows the socket ready to receive the molten zinc. Some 
authorities recommend that the inside of socket bowl be given an 
acid bath so as to insure better adhesion of metal. In cold weather 
the socket should be heated so as to prevent too rapid cooling of the 
molten metal. 

The damming shown at upper end and lower end of socket 
bowl prevents the molten metal from escaping. 

The metal usually used for wire rope socketing consists of a 
high grade commercial zinc. For attaching a ^-inch socket to a 
-^^-inch rope about 2^^ to 2^ lbs. of zinc is required. The zinc is 
usually placed in a melting pot and heated on a stove or furnace. 
To determine the proper temperature of the metal for pouring the 
"stick method" is the one most commonly used. This method con- 
sists in taking a dry soft pine stick, dipping same into the hot 
metal and then quickly withdrawing it. The stick should not be 
badly burned or charred nor should it have any metal adhering to 
it. If the stick appears to be badly burned the metal is too hot for 
pouring. If the metal adheres to the stick it is too cold. The right 
temperatiu-e is obtained when the stick shows no sign of metal 
adhesion or of the stick charring or burning. 

With the socket properly placed, the metal is poured slowly 
and evenly in order to give it a chance to distribute freely. The 
act of pouring is shown in Figure 5. The finished socket is shown 
in Figure 6 (Plate 4). 

—23— 




IIMS lN»tR-rc.D 
IN SOCKET. 



^EIND OUT. 




B^MMINQ 



\A/II?E. ROPC 
PUt.l.E.D BACKA.ND 
DArlMCD F^OW 

POUR»r«e 




SOC»t.C.T. 



Fis. 6 

1^1 N I SHED 
SOCKET 



SOCKEITtN© vs/irelrope: 



PU.ATE: No.4 



H.a.s. 



—24- 



The Long Splice. 

The length of sphce is gu\erned l)y the size of rope. The 
hirger the diameter of rope, the longer will be the splice. The 
length of the splice for ropes ^ in. to % in. in diameter should not 
be less than 25 feet; from % in. to i]/^ in. in diameter 35 feet; and 
from 1]/% in- to ij^ in. in diameter 40 feet. In ordering rope which 
is to be spliced, extra length of rope must be ordered equal to 
length of splice. For example: It is found necessary to add 200 
feet to a length of 400 feet of ^ in. diameter rope to get a total 
length of 600 feet. The length of splice for ^ in. rope is 25 feet 
and the total length of rope to be ordered should therefore be 225 
feet. 

The tools required for making a splice are as follows: 

One pair of wire cutters for cutting the strands; one pair of 
[)liers for pulling them and straightening the ends of strands; two 
marline spikes, one round and one oval ; a knife to cut out the hemp 
core; two clamps to untwist rope to insert ends of strands; a 
wooden mallet and some twine. A bench and vise can also be used 
to good advantage. 

The splice is started by securely wrapping and tying a piece 
of twine around the rope. This serving or wrapping should be 
placed back from the end of each rope equal to one-half the length 
of the total splice, or 12 feet 6 inches for a ^-inch diameter rope. 
Each end of the rope is then unlayed back to the twine serving and 
the hemp cores cut out. The two ends are then brought together 
as close as possible, placing the strands of the one end between the 
strands of the other end, as shown in Figure i, Plate No. 5. The 
twine serving is then removed from rope "X" (see Fig. i) and a 
strand as i is unlayed and is followed up with strand i^ of rope "Y," 
placing strand i^ in the space that was occupied by strand i. This 
operation is continued up to about 16 in. from end of strand i\ 
About 16 in. of strand i is left projecting by cutting the strand I 
about 16 in. from the solid rope. Strand i^ and i will then project 
16 in. from the rope and a twine serving is placed on each side of 
the juncture of the two strands, as shown in Figure 2. To prevent 
unraveling of the strands the twine serving is again replaced on 
rope "X" at center of splice. The twine serving is then removed 
from rope "Y" and the strand 2 is unlayed, followed up and re- 
placed by strand 2' of rope "X." The ends of these strands are left 
projecting out 16 in. from rope as described from strand i and i\ 
The twine serving is again removed from rope "X" and strand 3 is 
unlayed, followed up and replaced by strand 3' or rope "Y." This 
unlaying and replacing of strand 3 and 3' is stopped 5 feet from 
the juncture of strands i and i\ This operation is continued with 
the remaining 6 strands stopping 5 feet short of the preceding set 

—25— 







"HE. L_ONG SRL_ICE1 



9 .WJ f } ^f /r' t 



^■■u^^^■^l■^^t■.^>.>.l.^ll^I 



A VERV ROOR WIRE. ROPE CONNECTION 



t .'^«'-'ri'^,-r',',-,7r^ C bj»^y5J ^ 



^^^^^^^^^r^f^>^,•f^•^ 



r-ics.6 
Wire: rof»e. conmec-tjon wi-th "th»mb\_e. 8«cu»f=»s 



VJ^^^.'^^^^J^^^JJ'ffff^ ^^Iff>>,\ 



c^I> 



VV^'^^'-'^V-'^V'^'^'^'-«^''V'^'^'«-'-«-« 



F-JG.7 

wiREi ROf='E: corMtsE-CTion WITH uooR «* of»e;is 

SO CKCTS 



^^zz 



"^qgivi'Wift^agaas^ ff a}' (;d ij ^g iaas^ffiisaiiiii^^^'- •'''•' '>'»'''>''•'■« 



Fie. 8 
vviKE f?of>e: corsNE:cTior>t with str/\f» bi_ock 



PL-ATEIMO.S 



wes. 



-20— 



or juncture each time. The strands are then in their proper places, 
with the ends passing each other, as shown in Figure 3. 

To dispose of the loose ends, a clamp is placed on rope about 
20 in. on each side of juncture. The twine serving which holds 
down the strands is then removed, after which the clamp is turned 
in opposite direction to which the rope is laid or twisted, thereby 
untwisting the rope, as shown in Figure 4. The rope is untwisted 
sufficiently to allow its hemp core to be pulled out with a pair of 
nippers. The core is cut otT 18 in. at each side of the intersection 
of the strands i and i' and the ends of these strands are then laid 
into the rope in place of the hemp core, as shown in Figure 4. The 
rope is then allowed to twist back in its original shape and the 
clamps are then removed. 

After the rope has been allowed to twist up, the strands that 
are tucked in will bulge somewhat. This bulging is reduced by 
lightly tapping the bulged part of the strand with a wooden mallet, 
which forces their ends further into the rope. The ends of the 
other strands are tucked in in like manner. 

Wire Rope Connections. 

Figure 5 on Plate No. 5 shows a very poor method of connect- 
ing two wire ropes. With this connection it is impossible to get a 
uniform strain on all the strands and the rope is further bent out 
of shape where the ropes cross each other. 

Figure 6 shows a connection made with thimbles and wire rope 
clips which overcomes to a great extent the faults of the connection 
shown in Figure 5. The connection shown in Figure 6 is not a very 
strong one and should only be used where the strains are very light. 

Figure 7 shows a connection made with a loop socket and an 
open socket. If the sockets are properly attached this connection 
win develop the full strength of the rope. 

Figure 8 shows a connection made by bringing the ropes 
around thimble sheaves of a strap block and clipping same with 
three or more wire rope clips. If the trap block is of proper design 
and a sufficient number of clips are used, this connection will de- 
velop nearly the strength of the rope. 

The connections shown in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 cannot be used 
where the rope is required to pass over sheaves or drums. 

Tackle Blocks. 

Theoretically, the power necessary to balance a load by means 
of a tackle consisting of two blocks, is equal to the load divided 
by the number of ropes at the moving block, including the standing- 
part of rope if attached to the moving block. To produce motion, 
however, a greater power is necessary to overcome the friction and 




-28- 



stiffness of rope. Experiments show that to produce motion about 
lo per cent of the theoretical power must be added for each of the 
sheaves over which the rope passes. 

On Plate No. 6 the different tackles are designated by the num- 
ber of ropes at the moving block. Figure i shows an ordinary 
sheave block with a rope passing over the sheave. It is very evi- 
dent that, theoretically, it will require a pull of 15,000 lbs. to balance 
the 15,000 lb. load. Figure 2 shows a tackle consisting of two 
single blocks. The rope is attached to the upper block and then 
passes around moving block and up over standing block. This con- 
stitutes a two part line tackle and, theoretically, the power required 
to balance the load of 15,000 lbs. is 7,500 lbs. or the load divided by 
2. I'igure 3 shows a three part line tackle. Figure 4 shows a four 
part line tackle, and Figure 5 shows shows a five part line tackle. 

In using- tackle blocks, all twisting of ropes should be avoided. 
A complete turn or twist with two single blocks may produce a fric- 
tional resistance of 40 per cent. 

A Home-Made Rope Lubricant. 

(From "Mines and Minerals.") 

To prevent the corrosive action of mine water, or rust from 
any cause, hoisting ropes must be treated with some kind of solu- 
tion-proof material which will at the same time act as a lubricant. 
Such lubricants must be free from acids or other substances that 
will corrode the wire. 

A good lubricant for hoisting ropes is made by mixing i bushel 
of freshly slaked lime to a barrel of coal tar, or a mixture of pure tar 
and tallow can be used. When pine tar which contains no acid is 
used as a base, lime is unnecessary, as tar is solution-proof to ordi- 
nary mine water. Another good mixture contains tar, summer oil, 
axle grease, and a little pulverized mica, mixed to a consistency that 
will penetrate between the wires to the core and will not dry or 
strip off. The lubricant should not be so thick as to plaster and pre- 
vent a thorough inspection of the rope, and after the first applica- 
tion the lubricant should be used sparingly, so that the rope may be 
kept clean and free from grit. 

Graphite mixed with grease is also used successfully for the 
lubrication of hoisting ropes, and pulverized asbestos, mixed with 
grease, will also make an excellent lubricant. It will be found more 
satisfactory to purchase graphite greases than to attempt its manu- 
facture. 

Where ropes are used on slopes, care must be observed to keep 
them from the ground, as lubricated ropes will pick up grit more 
readily than unlubricated. If a box is placed near the top of the 
incline so that the hoisting rope can run through a groove, and 
come in contact with oiled waste in it, the rope may be cleaned 
automatically. 



—20— 



THE DRAGLINE CABLEWAY EXCAVATOR 

Cableway Engineering is a special branch of engineering, and 
practice has proved that it requires considerable study and experi- 
ence to properly design a cableway which will operate efficiently 
and economically. Many otherwise competent and experienced en- 
gineers have attempted the design of a cableway, but owing to 
their lack of experience in cableway design, produced a complete 
failure or a cableway which did not come up to the requirements in 
efficiency and economy in operation. 

The dragline cableway excavator may be considered as one of 
the more recent types of cableways. This cableway primarily con- 
sists of a well guyed mast or tower, an inclined track cable with the 
upper end supported at top of mast or tower by means of tension 
blocks, and the lower end anchored to a suitable ground anchorage 
system. This anchorage is usually set at a distance of 400 to 600 
feet from the mast. A carrier is mounted on the track cable; this 
carrier supports a scraper bucket, preferably by means of a flexible 
connection. 

A load cable is attached to the front of the bucket and carrier. 
This cable performs the operation of loading the bucket and con- 
veying same along track cable to the dumping point. A tension 
cable is provided for operating the tension blocks at top of mast. 
This cable and the blocks tighten and slacken the track cable. Both 
the load and tension cables lead from guide blocks at top of mast 
down to a double drum friction hoist usually located at ground 
level. See Plate No. 7. 

The operation with the track cable taut and the empty bucket 
near top of machine is as follows : The operator releases the friction 
of the front drum of the hoist which operates the load cable. 
This operation allows the carrier and bucket to travel down the 
inclined track cable by gravity; the speed of the carrier and bucket 
is controlled by the brake on this friction drum. When the point 
of excavation has been reached the operator holds the bucket and 
carrier by means of the brake on front drum and then releases the 
rear drum. By releasing the rear drum the track cable is slackened 
and the bucket and carrier are thus lowered into the pit. When 
the bucket comes in contact with the material, the operator puts the 
front drum into operation by throwing in the friction. This pulls 
the bucket forward into the material and fills it. After the bucket 
is filled the operator throws in the friction of the rear drmn. This 
operation tightens the track cable and thus lifts the bucket clear 
of the excavation. The bucket is pulled forwardly at the same time 
that the track cable is tightened, and in this way the bucket is con- 

—30— 



■^ 



/ 


> 




3 


\^ 


c 


"^k 


z 


vK 


< 


V 


i 


^ 


\ 


■ Ant) M.VW 


y 



^ 



>' 



o 
w 



u,??^^^^ 




—31- 



veyed and elevated to the dumping point, where the load is dis- 
charged automatically. 

Conditions sometime require the load to be delivered and dis- 
charged at the foot of the inclined track cable, in which case the 
loaded bucket travels down the incline by gravity, the load is auto- 
matically discharged and the empty bucket is then pulled back up 
the incline and then lowered into the excavation. 

Masts and Towers. 

For the small dragline cableway excavator, masts can ofttimes 
be secured by cutting down a tall large tree and trimming same to 
meet the requirements. Oak, long-leaf 3'ellow pine or fir, free 
from large or unsound knots, will best meet the requirements. 

For the larger dragline cal^leway excavators masts are usually 
built up from stock timber and trussed with either rods or cable. 
Steel masts are also used where the requirements and conditions 
warrant the expense. In designing a mast special attention must 
be given to stiffness and rigidity; the ordinary column formulas 
used in the usual design of buildings cannot be used in mast design 
for this work. 

For ordinary conditions a timber mast built of I4xi4-inch tim- 
bers properly reinforced and trussed will support a cableway ex- 
cavator of 500 ft. span equipped with a % cu. yd. bucket. For 
larger cableway excavators it will require i6xi6-inch timbers thor- 
oughly reinforced and trussed. 

Steel masts are usually built with four corner angles varying 
from 33/^x3^-inch angles to 6x6-inch angles in size. The corner 
angles are braced their entire length on the four sides, with the 
angles usually 2x2-inch or 2j/2X2j^-inch in size. 

The masts usually rest on a concrete foundation. The smaller 
masts can be supported on a wood platform made by nailing to- 
gether crosswise 3 layers of 4x1 2-inch plank 4 feet long. This will 
make a platform i foot thick and 4 feet square. 

Stationary towers have also been installed to good advantage. 
For cableway excavators of large bucket capacity and large spans 
the stationary tower will ofttimes be the safest solution. These 
towers are usually built with a large center timber with lighter 
timbers for bracing and stift'ening. 

The movable tower is installed where the conditions require 
considerable shifting. If properly designed such towers require 
very little ballasting. These towers are designed to move on ordi- 
nary railroad trucks and rails or on rollers and planking. The rails 
and trucks have been found to give more satisfactory service than 
the roller mounting, owing to the fact that the towers on rollers 
will have a tendency to slide off from the rollers. 

—32— 



Guy Cables. 

The guy cables for guying the mast are usually placed as 
shown on Plate No. 7. One main guy cal)le is placed directly in 
rear of the track cable, a second main guy cable is ])laced at right 
angles to this first main guy cable and opposite the hoist, the third 
main guy cable is placed midway between these two guy cables. 
The auxiliary guy cables are placed as shown on Plate No. 7. They 
are used to stead}^ the mast and keep same from falling, while the 
main guy cables take the stress produced by the track cable and 
hoist. The guy cables should be of sufficient length to permit the 
anchors to be placed at a distance from the foot of the mast ecfual 
to about twice the height of the mast. For example, if the mast is 
60 feet in height the anchors should be set about 120 feet from the 
mast. It should be impressed upon the erector that the shorter the 
distance between mast and anchor the greater will be the strain 
on both guys and mast. The uplift on anchors will necessarily also 
be greater. 

Anchors. 

The anchors usually consist of logs 12 to 18 inches in diameter 
and from 12 to 18 feet in length. These logs are placed from 8 feet 
to 12 feet in the ground, the depth depending on the nature and 
firmness of the soil. Log anchors are safe for stresses up to 60,000 
lbs. For higher stresses concrete anchors are usually placed. 

Track Cable. 

The track cable of a dragline cableway excavator receives very 
severe service. No hard and fast rule can l)e laid down regarding 
the specification and construction of this cable, for the reason that 
the construction and grade of cable should depend very much upon 
the local conditions that obtain in the diiiferent excavation work. 
The author cannot recommend too strongly that owners of cable- 
ways get in touch with experienced wire rope engineers and have 
them specify the cable best suited for their requirements and condi- 
tions. 

Plate No. 7 shows a diagram of the dragline cableway excava- 
tor. The incline of the track cable, as indicated on this diagram, 
should be 14 feet in 100 feet. This is necessary to return the empty 
bucket by gravity. The track cable should further have a deflection 
or sag of 5 feet for every 100 feet of span. For example, for a 500- 
foot span the track cable should have a deflection or sag of 25 feet 
in the center when the loaded bucket is at that point. If the track 
cable is pulled up tighter and the deflection or sag reduced to less 
than 25 feet, the track cable and all the other parts of the equip- 

—33— 



ment will be overstrained. This overstraining will reduce the life 
of the cableway and increase the repair bill. 

Every operator should mark his tension cable to prevent this 
overstraining. To do this, he should proceed as follows: 

The first step is to get the difterence of elevation between top 
of mast and lower end of track cable. This will give him the in- 
clination of the track cable. 

The second step is to divide this difference of elevation by 2. 
This will give him the distance that the track cable would be below 
the top of mast at center of span if the track cable was pulled taut 
and in a perfectly straight line. This condition can never be ob- 
tained, so we must make an allowance for deflection or sag so as not 
to overstrain the cable. 

The third step is to figure the sag or deflection and, as stated 
before, this sag or deflection should be at least 5 feet for every 100 
feet of span. For a span of 400 feet this deflection would be 20 feet 
and for a span of 500 feet it would be 25 feet, as shown on diagram. 

By adding together the distance of track cable below top of 
mast (obtained in second step) to the deflection just figured, we get 
the total distance of the track cable at center of span below top of 
mast. 

For example, on the diagram (Plate No. 7) we find that the 
difference of elevation between top of mast and lower point of track 
cable where it passes over "A" frame is 70 feet. Dividing this dif- 
ference of elevation by 2 we find that the track cable at center of 
span would be 35 feet below top of mast if it were pulled taut in a 
perfectly straight line, as shown in dotted lines on diagram. 

Figuring the deflection or sag at 5 feet for every 100 feet of 
span, we find that for 500 feet the total sag will be 25 feet at center 
of span. Adding this sag of 25 feet to the 35 feet we get 60 feet, the 
'distance that the track cable should be below top of mast at center 
of span when the loaded bucket is at this point. 

We now measure down from top of the mast a distance of 60 
feet and mark same. A man provided with a hand level or ordinary 
carpenter's level, places the level at this mark and brings the bubble 
of level to the cross mark; in other words, brings the instrument to 
the level position. The operator then fills the bucket, brings it to 
center of span and then starts raising the bucket and carrier by 
operating the tension cable and thus raises the track cable. The 
man at level sights along the track cable and when the junction of 
the front carrier wheel and track cable come in line with his sight- 
ing, he signals the operator who locks his drums and then marks 
his tension line about 3 feet from the drum. 

The mark of minimum deflection is now established and the 
operator should never wind the tension cable on drum beyond the 
point or mark just established. 

—34— 



The track cable is also in some cases subjected to needless 
abuse by careless operation or by installing carriers and dumping 
devices which, due to their faulty construction, will wear out a track 
cable in a very short period of time. 

By dropping the track cable and then suddenly applying the 
brake to drum a careless operator will produce a whip in the cable, 
as shown in Figure 13. This operation is bound to ruin the best 
cable. 

An "A" Frame should always be installed at foot of incline 
when conditions require that the bucket and carrier be brought to 
the extreme end of the track cable. The height of this frame will 
depend upon the local ground conditions. When the ground is 
level it will only be necessary to have the frame of sufficient height 
to allow the loaded bucket to travel from the lowest point without 
hitting the ground when the track cable has the proper sag or 
deflection. When a rise of ground is encountered between anchor- 
age and mast, it will be necessary to raise the height of frame in 
order to get the clearance as described above. 

Bridle Cable. 

In order to provide an easy means for shifting the lower end 
of track cable, a bridle cable is usually installed. This bridle cable 
is installed by placing two anchors some distance apart, the usual 
distance being about 150 feet. One end of the bridle cable is 
brought around one of the anchor logs and is then fastened with 
four clips. The other end of bridle cable is then threaded through 
bridle frame and is then brought around the other anchor log. This 
cable is then adjusted so that it will have a deflection equal to one- 
third of the span. For a span of 150 feet the deflection would be 
50 feet when the track cable is pulled taut. If the deflection is less 
than one-third of the span this cable will be overstrained when full 
tension is brought on the track cable. 

, Bridle Frame. 

The bridle frame usually consists of two heavy plates with a 
curved casting or rollers placed between them. The curved casting 
or rollers form the seat for the bridle cable. For attaching the 
bridle cable these frames are provided with a shackle, link and 
thimble sheave. The track cable is brought around this thimble 
sheave and is then fastened with four or five clips. 

Shifting the Bridle Frame. 

Where very little shifting is required, the bridle frame is held 
in place on bridle cable by means of special clamps. When consid- 

—35— 



erable shifting is reqmred the frame is provided with extra hnks 
for attaching a wire rope sheave block. Another block is attached 
to one of the anchors. A cable is then threaded or reeved through 
these blocks and the frame is moved along bridle cable by either 
exerting a pull on this block and tackle or letting out on same. For 
operating the tackle hand-winches can ofttimes be installed to 



good advanatge. 



The Load and Tension Cables. 



The load and tension cables are usually of the 6 strand, 19 wire 
construction. The selection of the grade of wires to be used in 
these cables should be left to the judgment of a competent cable- 
way engineer. 

Tension and Guide Blocks. 

Probably the greatest trouble experienced in the operation of 
the dragline cableway excavator is in the rapid wear, breakage and 
renewals of the sheaves. The ordinary common derrick block is 
entirely inadequate to withstand the severe and constant service of 
this class of work. The tendency has been and is still to use sheaves 
of insufficient strength and too small a diameter, resulting in con- 
stant breakdowns, delays and short life of the wire ropes passing- 
over these sheaves. It has been the author's experience and obser- 
vation that it paj'^s to buy the best blocks possible for this service, 
as the successful and efficient operation of the machine depends in 
no small measure on the proper specifications and installation 
of the blocks. The sheaves in the blocks should be extra heavy 
pattern and provided with special bushings. The sheave pin should 
he extra large and should be center-bored and provided with com- 
pression grease cups. For continuous heavy duty the block sheaves 
should be of the hollow web pattern with a large capacity oil cham- 
ber in the web, or of the end bearing type with keyed axle. The 
blocks should be attached to mast in such a manner so as to allow 
the greatest freedom of movement between cable and blocks. 

Cable Fastenings. 

The author recommends four clips for every cable fastening. 
The clips must be drawn up tight. A loose clip is entirely worth- 
less. The cables and their fastenings should be frequently and care- 
fully examined. The safety and success of a cableway excavator 
depends very much upon careful and frequent inspection. 

Bucket, Carrier and Dumping Device. 

It is very apparent that the successful and economic operation 
of a dragline cableway excavator depends very much upon the 

— :iG— 



bucket, the carrier and the dum])iiit;' device. As in all other mate- 
rial handling machinery, substantial design and simpHcity of con- 
struction and operation are the essential features for a successful 
equipment. Past experience has brought out the following facts 
regarding cableway excavator buckets and carriers: 

The work that a dragline bucket is called ui)(>n to perform is 
very hard and severe. This recpiires extra strong and substantially 
built buckets. Lightly constructed buckets have not been al)le to 
withstand this severe service. Many purchasers of light equipment 
have found to their sorrow, even when operating under the most 
favorable conditions, they saved nickels in the first cost by buying 
light equipment, but they spent dollars in delays, loss of business 
and repairs later on. 

Buckets that are latched directly to carrier to hold them in 
load carrying position are not very satisfactory, as considerable 
time is lost in latching the bucket, with a resulting decrease in 
handling capacity. 

Buckets that depend on the tension of the drag or load line to 
hold them in load carrying position have the disadvantage of scat- 
tering material the entire length of the span, as it is difficult to 
maintain a uniform tension on load cable. 

Buckets should assume a vertical position when dumping to 
insure the material leaving the bucket. 

Buckets dumping from front are to be preferred to buckets 
equipjied with rear gates. Rear gates bend and bind and the rear 
gate l)ucket does not assume a vertical position when dumping. 
When sticky or wet material is encountered some of the material 
will not leave this type of bucket. If the front of the bucket and 
cutter edge are of the proper design, no shoes are necessary in rear 
of bucket to tilt the front forwardly. 

Flexible chain connections between the bucket and carrier are 
to be preferred to the rigid connections. Where the carrier is 
rigidly attached to the bucket, the equipment becomes top heavy 
and when digging alongside of a hill or trench it will fall over. 
Flexible connections also prolong the life of the cables and the 
other equipment, as the main cable need not be lowered entirely 
into the excavation and the Ijucket can follow its own course when 
digging. . 

The dumping operation of the bucket should be under the 
positive control of the operator, and the dumping arrangement 
should permit of either a slow or instantaneous discharge. 

Carriers with more than two wheels should be designed so as 
to allow the track wheels to automatically adjust themselves to the 
curve of the track cable. 

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Hoists. 

This type of excavator can be operated l^y either steam, electric 
or gasoline power. The type and size of hoist should be determined 
by the individualand local requirements. To get the best and most 
economical results, the hoist must have ample power to meet the 
speedy operation recjuired for the maximum capacity. The exca- 
vator requires a double drum hoist, preferably with a two-speed 
arrangement, a slow speed when digging and a high speed when 
hauling in the bucket. The hoist should have sufficient power to 
operate both drums at the same time. The front drum should have 
a rope speed of 125 to 200 feet per minute when the bucket is dig- 
ging, and a rope speed of 300 to 600 feet per minute for conveying 
the loaded bucket along track cable. The rear drum should have 
a rope speed of 150 to 200 feet per minute. 

Provision should be made on the hoist foundation to allow for 
some shifting and adjustment of the hoist. In almost all cases it 
will be found necessar}' to do some adjusting after the cableway 
excavator has been erected, in order to jjroperly align the hoist 
drums with the guide blocks at top of mast or tower. The stretch 
in guy cables, the "set" in the anchors, etc., make this adjustment 
necessary. 

Adaptability. 

The development of the dragline cableway excavator has made 
it possible for owners of gravel deposits with limited capital to in- 
stall plants for preparing gravel and sand for the market, as the 
cost of digging the gravel and delivering it to the plant was pro- 
hibitive with the type of machinery generally sold for this purpose, 
except on a large yardage basis. Some small jilants were located 
along rivers and creeks where it was ])ossible to employ small 
])um])s for pumping the gravel to the liins. If these beds contained 
boulders larger than the pump could handle, the pit soon became 
lined with boulders, which made it inqtossible for the i)ump to reach 
the gravel beneath the layer of boulders. That the dragline cable- 
way is more economical and efficient for digging sand and gravel 
from under water is proved by the fact that the cableways have 
replaced a great many pumps. 

The dragline cableway was developed for digging material 
which cannot be economically excavated with steam shovels or 
dragline boom line excavators. The steam shovel is limited to the 
reach of the di])per arm and the machine itself must be mounted 
on a track or hrm ground. The boom line excavator has a greater 
reach, but it is also limited to the length of the boom. The drag- 
line cableway greatly exceeds the reach of the steam shovel and the 
boom line excavator, thereby making it possible to dig over long 

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spans and dii^' the nuUcrial In s^Tcatcr (lci)lhs. Inasmuch as the dig- 
ging, con\eying and elevating is all dune 1)\- one machine, the 
handling capacity per hour of the cableway excavator is not as 
great as that of the steam shovel or a boom line, which carry their 
load a comi)arati\'e]}- short distance. 

The dragline cahlewa}' excavator will dig and convey the ma- 
terial within a radius of 600 feet from the ])lant at less cost than the 
combination of machiner_\' where it is necessar\- to handle the ma- 
terial several times. Where large capacity is re(|uircd, two or more 
cableways can be installed and operated at as low a cost as a com- 
bination of other machinery to get the same capacit\-. This is very 
apparent, as only one man is required to operate the cablewav. The 
steam can be furnished by a central boiler plant. The cableway is. 
very economically operated 1)}- electricity, as the current consump- 
tion is very low, due to the intermittent service of the hoist. Gas 
and oil engines are also being used to good advantage. The cost 
of digging the gravel and conveying it to the i)lant witli a drag- 
line cableway will \-ary from 3 to 10 cents per yard, depending upon 
the installation and conditions. 

When operating two or more cablewavs for large capacity 
one can readil}' see that the cost of production when the demand 
is low will remain the same, as only one unit need be operated. 
The jiroducer does not have to keep an expensive crew for ])roduc- 
ing only a small }-ardage with one big excavator. The cableways 
are installed in \arious manners in connection with the gravel 
plant. Where it is possible it is advisable to deliver the material 
direct to the hopper feeding the screens. AVhere manv boulders 
are encountered, it is sometimes advisable to duni]) into a hopper 
some distance from the plant. The boulders can here be sepa- 
rated from the gravel by passing the material over grizzly bars 
and by passing the boulders to the crusher. The sand, gravel 
and crushed rock is then delivered to the screens by means of a 
belt conveyor. In some places where only one cableway is in- 
stalled for delivering to a producing plant which has a larger capac- 
ity than the cablewa}', it is advisable to have the cablewav deliver 
to a storage pile from which the material is delivered to the screens, 
by means of a belt conveyor. An economical arrangement for 
reclaiming from the storage pile is to have a concrete tunnel under 
the storage pile. The belt conveyor in the tunnel is fed by open- 
ings in the top of the tunnel. 

Under most conditions the maximum economical span is from 
500 to 700 feet. This, of course, will vary under special conditions. 
The machines are used for excavating material from under water 
or from the dry. They will dig, elevate, convey and dump the ma- 
terial from pits to bins, screens, cars, stock piles or spoil banks. 

—39— 



Uses. 

The following is a partial list of the classes of work for which 
dragline cableway excavators have been installed: 

Excavating sand and gravel from nndcr water and from 
dry pits. 

Loading ballast dirct from pits to cars. 

Back-filling retaining walls. 

Reclaiming ore and material from stock piles. 

Deepening river beds. 

Building levees. 

Handling road material. 

Stripping clay beds and removing overburden. 

Removing sand bars, islands and earth dams from rivers. 

The dragline cableway excavator has its limitations like all 
other material moving machinery. The author has found the 
cableway excavator installed in places where the conditions and 
requirements were entirely unsuitable for this type of excavator. 
A thorough investigation of the individual requirements and con- 
ditions of any proposed work is very essential in securing the 
equipment which will produce the most economical results. 

The man}- successful installations of dragline cableway ex- 
cavators, and the low cost of handling material by means of these 
machines, leads the author to believe that the engineering pro- 
fession as a whole should study the uses and proi)erties of wire ro]ie 
as applied to material handling ]ilants. 

It should also encourage the engineers and sui)crinlendents 
in charge of plants to study and carefully consider the use and care 
of wire rope as api^lied to the different problems confronting them 
in their dailv work. 



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